The Deer Moat

The Deer Moat is located next to the Prague Castle and helped to defend the fortress in the past. Although deer haven’t been present in the moat for the past several centuries, this natural ravine that usually stays hidden from most tourists, is definitely worth visiting.

Deer were bred and hunted in the Deer Moat under the order of legendary Czech ruler Rudolf II; however, deer were not the only animal dwellers in the history of this piece of land. In the 1920s President Masaryk started breeding bears that lived in the Deer Moat until the 1950s. Since the reign of Maria Theresa who had a stone rampart built in the middle of the moat replacing the original Powder Bridge, the Deer Moat has had two independent parts – the upper and the lower. Both parts were reconnected only in 2002 when an interesting tunnel for pedestrians designed by architect Josef Pleskot was built.

You can best access the Deer Moat by descending an inconspicuous staircase from the Powder Bridge. The park provides a relaxing, calm atmosphere with plenty of greenery, making it the perfect place to unwind after visiting the bustling castle complex. In the Deer Moat you will also find a tiny, whimsical house of the bear-taker, an artificial cave, a sandstone statue of a night watchman and more.
 

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